


The Signs of Three

by multi_angxls



Category: The Good Doctor (TV 2017)
Genre: Drabble, F/M, Fluff, WEDDING CUTENESS, morgan being the most badass maid of honour there is, shaun being genius AGAIN, this turned out a lot cuter than i thought it would
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-04
Updated: 2020-09-04
Packaged: 2021-03-06 15:40:11
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,200
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26291281
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/multi_angxls/pseuds/multi_angxls
Summary: // Claire hears the seam of her dress rip before she can do anything to stop it.Her wedding day isn’t supposed to be stressful. It’s meant to be the happiest day of her life. After all, she’s going to be spending the rest of her life with Neil Melendez. It feels like just yesterday that they had gone out for drinks a few weeks after Claire had finished her residency and he had kissed her in the pouring rain. Now, three years later, she’s about to be his wife. It’s insane. //A short drabble about Claire and Neil's wedding day.
Relationships: Claire Browne & Neil Melendez, Claire Browne/Neil Melendez, Melendaire - Relationship
Comments: 7
Kudos: 46





	The Signs of Three

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to @agnesresslerreddington on Tumblr for the wedding prompt request! 
> 
> I basically just pulled inspiration from Jim and Pam's wedding from The Office, and from John and Mary's wedding on BBC's Sherlock. So if that gives anything away then so be it but if not: I hope you enjoy it!

Claire hears the seam of her dress rip before she can do anything to stop it. 

Her wedding day isn’t supposed to be stressful. It’s meant to be the happiest day of her life. After all, she’s going to be spending the rest of her life with Neil Melendez. It feels like just yesterday that they had gone out for drinks a few weeks after Claire had finished her residency and he had kissed her in the pouring rain. Now, three years later, she’s about to be his wife. It’s insane. They hadn’t expected to move so fast, but it doesn’t feel like they had been moving fast to her. It’s more like they were just… catching up. It had taken them so long to find each other and so long to figure out how to manage work and romance, that by the time they really got serious, it had been like they were making up for the lost time. It’s hard work, their relationship, but it’s worth it. The thought of marrying him after all of that makes her smile until her fingers graze over the busted seam at her side. The tear isn’t big enough to be noticeable but Claire knows it’s there and she can’t seem to think about anything else. It’s a minor inconvenience but it’s also a $2000 A-line floor-length chiffon lace wedding dress, so yeah. It’s the end of the world. She sends for Morgan immediately, starts pacing around which only stresses herself out even more, and only stops when Morgan walks in. “What’s wrong, Browne? You’re supposed to walk down the aisle in fifteen minutes.” 

“I- I busted a seam,” Claire explains. She’s fighting back tears as hard as she can, pointing to the side of her dress. 

“Ok, ok,” Morgan nods as she assesses the situation. “It’s totally fixable. I brought a mini sewing kit in my bag just in case.” She gives a reassuring wink, and Claire’s attempts to hide how much she’s freaking out are no longer necessary. 

“See? This is why you’re my maid of honor. You’re always prepared for everything.” She lets out a sigh of relief. 

“And here I thought it was because of my awesome personality and higher intellect,” she teases. She then grabs a small container with needles and a roll of white thread and bends down to start working away. 

“That too.” 

Morgan laughs and starts weaving her thread through the fabric. “So… how are you feeling?” 

“Honestly? I’m kind of freaking out. I’ve already thrown up three times these past few weeks just from the stress of this wedding.” 

“Oh god, you better not be getting cold feet or anything. I’m not trying to get fired for letting you be the runaway bride.” 

“No, no,” Claire takes a deep breath, “I’m not nervous about that. I love Neil, I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with him. I’m just worried about getting this seam fixed.” 

“Is that why you’re sweating then?” Morgan teases. 

“No. To be honest, I’m surprised you’re not sweating. I swear it’s a hundred degrees here, the venue didn’t use to be so warm.” She shifts around in her dress uncomfortably.

“It’s the same temperature it’s always been. But anyway, I got this whole sewing thing down. It’s just like stitches, easy peasy. It would be a lot easier if- ah! If you stopped moving so much!” She feels bad when she hears Morgan curse under her breath and suck at her thumb. 

“Sorry,” Claire replied sheepishly. She stands up straight again and tries as hard she can not to fidget. 

A few minutes pass as Morgan works away (surprisingly quick given her RA, which makes Claire appreciate her even more). Then, she stands up again and puts her sewing equipment back in her big purse. “See? It’s as good as new.” 

Claire looks in the full body mirror and stares at her side. The seam looks pretty smooth, Morgan’s patchwork only noticeable when looking at it up close. Claire sighs in relief. “Come on, no smile? It’s your wedding day after all.” 

Claire lets herself smile a real, genuine smile. She even feels bold and laughs. “Thank you, Morgan. I really couldn’t have done any of this without you.” 

“Well duh,” she teases. “Anytime, Browne. And hey, this wedding stuff hasn’t been easy on you, I know that. But it’s finally happening: you’re getting married.” 

“I’m… I’m getting married.” Claire stares in shock before her shock turns into excitement. “I’m getting married,” She repeats while smiling from ear to ear. 

“You’re getting married!” Morgan cheers as she spins around the room with Claire. “Ah, it feels like just yesterday I was standing in the ED, trying to rub Purell on my brain after seeing you two doing some workplace PDA for the first time,” she reminisces jokingly as she puts her hands on Claire’s shoulder. Claire rolls her eyes. She remembers that day too, when they had first disclosed their relationship to HR. Back then, the PDA felt like a rule they were breaking. It was new, it was exciting. Now, kissing him or holding his hand on the way out of the hospital feels like second nature. 

“What time is it?”

Morgan checks her watch. “Oh, it’s time. I have to go take my place with the other bridesmaids.” She picks up her purse and turns to Claire one more time before leaving. “You ready, Browne?” 

“I’m ready,” she smiles, nodding with confidence. Morgan smiles and pats her on the shoulder before leaving the room. The music plays on cue and she sees everyone stand up from their chairs for her. 

The sets of eyes all on her would normally be enough to send her into a spiral but she locks eyes with Neil and all her worries melt away. Because he’s there. He’s standing there, as handsome as ever in the tux he chose, and he’s just… looking at her. His eyes get glossy and he gives her a warm, excited smile. It baffles her how she can feel so loved just by one glance. How can he just stand there and look at her while looking like that, and expect her to do anything but love him forever? She’s walking down the aisle now and it isn’t scary. Her mind doesn’t wander to her friends and colleagues watching her. Her only thought is of getting to Neil. 

“You’re beautiful,” he spits out as she gets to the altar before she can even open her mouth. She smiles and wishes there was a way for him to feel how much her heart is swelling. “I love you,” is what she settles on, whispering it to him before Dr. Glassman, who had graciously agreed to officiate their wedding, starts. Neil takes her hands in his as Glassman begins to speak. 

“Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today in celebration of these two amazingly talented doctors. I think I speak for everyone when I say that these two could not be more right for each other. Any couple that manages to piss off HR is a good couple in my book.” Claire and Neil both laugh, and the laughter of everyone watching echoes in the room. The memory of adjusting to everyone at the hospital knowing about their relationship was actually funny in hindsight. Claire remembers how nervous she had been to hold his hand in the elevator. It had been like they were in high school again, like kids goofing off and breaking the rules. Everyone was okay with their relationship at first, minus the couple of professional concerns from Andrews and Lim. Eventually though, whatever complaints were made died down and people just learned to see their relationship as non-negotiable. Now, it would be weird if they  _ weren’t  _ seen together. “Now as I understand it, doctors Melendez and Browne have prepared their own vows.” They both give a nod and Melendez squeezes her hand as if to say  _ “you go first” _ , so she does. 

“I… I’ve had a lot of loss in my life. People that I cared about have left or let me down. I never really had a safe place to land- that is, until I met you. You just came in and were there for me. No matter what. I never had anyone do that for me. You're just amazing and you… you mean everything to me. You’re the love of my life. Standing here in front of everyone and being able to say that feels surreal. If you had told me three years ago that I’d be able to do that I wouldn’t have believed it, but it’s true. I just- I love you so much, Neil Melendez,” she can hear herself choke up and tries to rein it in, “and I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with you.” 

She sees the small tears form at the corners of his eyes and she smiles. There’s a brief moment where they’re so caught up in her vows and everything is so silent that even the sniffles from their family and friends seem loud. Even Morgan starts to tear up and dabs her eyes with a tissue that, in Claire’s world, is rarer than seeing a double rainbow. 

“I think it’s your turn now, Dr. Melendez,” Glassman leans over and mutters to him, and Neil snaps out of it. He lets out a soft chuckle before saying his vows. 

“I love you too, first of all,” he starts off. Everyone laughs adoringly at that. Claire smiles, knows Neil never lets her say it without him saying it back, and loves him for it. “I, uh. I remember what you said to me one night, years before we started dating. We were at the hospital working late and you told me that finding someone you can’t imagine a life without is hard. And now I’m standing here in front of you and I just- I can’t imagine a life without you. It turns out finding you was easy because you were right there under my nose the entire time and I was just too blind to see it.” He wipes the corner of his eye slightly before taking her hands in his again and continuing. “You… you make me a better man, Claire Browne. I love you more than anything, and I’m going to spend the rest of my life proving that to you.” Claire almost curses under her breath as the waterworks come. Normally she’s good at hiding her emotions but she can’t stop herself from crying this time. Some things are just too important not to cry about. 

She feels the cold metal band against her skin as he slides the ring on her finger and she does the same. They picked nice rings, modest and silver, but it feels tighter than usual. 

“Do you, Claire Browne, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband, in sickness and in health, till death parts you?” 

“I do.” 

“And do you, Neil Melendez, take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife, in sickness and in health, till death parts you?” 

“Dear God, yes.” He’s smiling uncontrollably now and taps his foot impatiently as if waiting one more minute to be her husband will kill him. It’s endearing to a nauseating degree and Claire laughs softly. 

“Then, by the power vested in me by the state of California- and of Google- I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride!” 

Neil doesn’t waste a second before grabbing Claire’s face and kissing her hard and tenderly. Her hands find his back and she kisses him, smiles against his lips in tearful joy. She’s walking down the aisle with Neil and everyone’s standing, cheering, clapping. So much joy in one room and yet it feels like nothing compared to what she’s feeling. They’ve been through so much to get here. It’s overwhelming, Claire notices, when she finally realizes that this is quite literally the happiest day of her life. Except it’s not just her life anymore, it’s  _ theirs _ . That manages to make her even happier. 

“Dr. Browne,” he smirks at her once they’re done with the cake (where Claire had relentlessly teased Melendez about how she’s going to leave him for the decadent layers of red velvet and creamy frosting) and reach the dance floor, “a dance with the prom king again?” 

“Oh god,” she snorts, “I can’t believe you remembered. That feels like ages ago.” 

“I know,” he laughs in disbelief. “Time flies, I guess.” He’s giving her that look again, that loving gaze that took her too long to realize was there all along, even before they were together. 

“Yeah. So much has changed since then,” she replies, her smile hardly containable. He holds his hand out for her to take as the music starts playing. She takes it gracefully and steps closer until she’s practically pressed up against him. His other hand finds her side, almost exactly where the seam had ripped, and suddenly that spot of fabric feels hot and magical and tied to nothing but happy memories. 

She recognizes the song almost immediately by the slow beat and the soft, warm vocals. They had split the planning of the wedding pretty evenly but he had insisted on choosing the song they’d have their first dance too. 

“Some things haven’t changed,” he mutters softly into her ear as they sway to the music, the familiar Ed Sheeran tune they had their first dance to back before they had even realized their feelings for each other. 

“You even remembered the song?” She pulls her head back to make eye contact with him, completely awestruck that he remembered. 

“Of course I did. I remember everything about that day. And the day after it, and the day after that. I’ll never forget any day I’ve spent with you.” His tone is light and confident like it was an obvious fact. 

“I-,” Claire can hardly find the words to express how much she loves her husband. “I love you so much, you know that?” 

“Well, I should hope so. We  _ did  _ just get married after all,” he teases. She laughs, leans her head on his shoulder, and lets herself be held by him as the music continues. 

Once the song is over, everyone joins them on the dance floor and they walk over to the bar. Claire, finally done with the stressful part of the wedding, figures a glass or two of the fancy champagne they ordered is much deserved. 

She sees Shaun sitting at a bar stool as the bartender hands her the glass of champagne. His eyes meet hers and he stands up immediately and walks over to them. “Oh, congratulations, Dr. Melendez. And congratulations Claire!” He’s happily stimming only momentarily, pulls Claire in for a quick, brief hug (which Claire knows is a big deal and greatly appreciates it coming from her friend), nods at Dr. Melendez joyfully.

“Thank you, Shaun,” she beams. She takes a sip of her champagne but spits it out almost instantly. Neil’s hand flies to the small of her back out of concern. The champagne tastes so much worse than she remembers. Didn’t she pick this stuff herself?

“Ugh, I don’t know what I was thinking when I picked this stuff. It’s so much worse than it was when I first had it.” She hands her glass to Neil and he takes a sip. 

The look on his face is more confused than it is disgusted. “Babe, this tastes the same as it did when you got it.” 

“No way, it’s not the same! Maybe it’s just a bad bottle or something, I don’t know.” 

“Oh.” Shaun’s spaced out now. It takes Claire a minute to realize he’s doing his genius-doctor-mystery-solving thing. Curious as to what’s brought on his sudden realization, she waits for him to say something.

Before he can say anything, Lea calls out from the dance floor, “Shaun, come on! They’re doing the cupid shuffle!” 

He looks around the room for a second before turning back to them. “I have to go. Congratulations to the three of you- two,” he corrects himself, “the two of you, I mean.”

“Three of us?” Claire knows Shaun well enough to know that he doesn’t just slip up like that for no reason. “Shaun,” she says cautiously, “what’s going on?”

He looks hesitant but explains himself anyway. “Morgan told me about the seam of your dress ripping, about everything that happened before you walked down the aisle.”

“What?” Neil looks equal parts confused and concerned, and Claire beats herself up internally for not having told him of everything that had happened before she walked down the aisle.

“I was concerned that you might have been sick,” Shaun continues to ramble, “but then you spat out the champagne just now. Nausea, the heatwave, your dress not fitting properly, change in taste. You must have thought it was nerves but it is not. It is not a coincidence.” 

Claire’s eyes go wide like a deer in headlights. She can hardly breathe, never mind speak, so she’s grateful when Neil asks, “What are you saying?” His tone is nervous. 

“That… I think you are pregnant, Claire.” Shaun nods confidently, satisfied with his diagnosis. “All of the signs point to it. The signs of three.” Before he can say anything else, Shaun gets dragged away by Lea, who’s insistent on doing whatever group dance is happening now and leaves the newlywed couple to themselves. 

It’s stupid, really. They’re all doctors. They should have seen the symptoms before. But it makes sense why she felt so nauseous and emotional before and why she hates the champagne now. It’s obvious. “Oh my god.” 

“Claire?” Neil turns to her, his eyes surprised and expectant. 

“I think… I think he might be right.” The words roll off her tongue slowly and carefully. She doesn’t know how he’ll react to this. They had just gotten married 30 minutes ago, the idea of a baby is insane. It’s amazing but insane. She has no idea how he’s going to feel about all of this. 

Shock covers his face for what feels like forever. Claire almost feels nauseous again waiting for him to react, but relief washes over her when his mouth slowly forms a wide, beaming smile and his eyes sparkle with excitement. “You’re... pregnant.” He almost phrases it like a question, still in joyful disbelief. 

“I- I think so, yeah,” Claire repeats. She’s practically cheering it at this point, that’s how excited she is. 

He laughs and picks her up, spinning around with her in his arms. She laughs and smiles into his shoulder until he puts her down. “We’re having a baby.” Everyone’s either getting drinks at the bar or having the time of their life on the dance floor and have already congratulated and thanked the newlyweds, so hardly anyone notices when Neil’s hand flies down to her stomach and press gently against the fabric of her wedding dress.

Just when Claire deems it impossible, the happiest day of her life gets just a little bit happier.

**Author's Note:**

> if anyone's curious, this is what I pictured Claire's dress would look like  
> https://cdn-3.jjshouse.com/upimg/jjshouse/o600/ba/9d/4eb813e7e81291ad9c57c018a253ba9d.jpg


End file.
